FROM Gaelic speaking Isle of Lewis off north west Scotland, Ishbel MacAskill's gentle, expert command of language and perfect pitch established her as instantly familiar. An absence of sentimentality and contemporary political cynicism informed her intros to songs of men drowned: if the lads in the songs are so rapidly snuffed out, "how do we every get to have any children?".
Songs by women wounded by nature's cruelty, older Lewis "originals" such as a pre Victorian tinkering Bheir me O, a homily on the current "Feis" system, all made this a serene performance.
The O Riada concert was opened by young Flaithri and Eoghan Neff on pipes and fiddle. Their choice of the Paddy Keenan sourced Streets of Derry air indicated a catholicity in taste O Riada might have liked. So to with Sandra Joyce, whose march tempo For Ireland I'll tell not her name (as bearla) dismissed the customary mystery of the piece, as did Niall Keegan in his turn by interpreting the Gurteen Fred Finn's Polka as a mere tune, and translating it backwards to its (undeniable) American origins. Aine Ni Cheallaigh was intense, escalating the Munster aisling Eire beautifully. Mary Bergin alone was stylistically nostalgic in a terrific display on F whistle, Peter Browne delivered Cuan Bheil Innse with a fabulously sweet chanter and Brent goose drones. Sean O Se yet again comfortably managed the full tonal range of An Poc Ar Buile, and Mairtin O'Connor with Garry O'Briain and Nollaig Casey were O Riada for the night.
Finest was their experimentation with lute, viola and melodeon: a rich, sugan turning, a gentle coaxing of a mellow richness out of tunes many would normally pass over.